On the road again - Robb's Leica Adventures

[robb]

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Basketball Coach Strategist in New York City, New York - Leica SL2 with APO Summicron SL 75mm Asph, iso 100, 1/80th at f 2.0

Robb

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[robb]

Took a boat 30 minutes into the Gulf of Mexico to reach power line installations going up on an island in Florida.

Utility Lineman in Carrabelle, Florida - Leica SL2 with APO-Vario-Elmarit-SL 90-280mm f/2.8-4, iso 100 at 229mm, 1/250th at f 5.6 with Heliopan circular polarizer

Robb

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[robb]

Cropped in half from Vertical Image.  I generally never like to crop but the client preferred it this way so that's how it is represented here.  Great colors.  It was an adventure being up next to the wires in a second bucket with all the extra protective gear.

Lineman in Ocala, Florida - Leica SL2 with VE SL 24-90 asph, 24mm,  iso 100, 1/80th sec at f 5.6 with Heliopan circular polarizer

Robb

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[robb]

At the end of the day, I set up a quick studio in a dark warehouse to capture portraits in front of a backdrop.  I had left the apo summicrons at home on this trip to travel as light as possible using the pair of zooms only since portraits were not my main focus.  While the 24-90 is a very sharp lens, its hit rate on portrait focussing (with AF) at shorter distances is a mixed bag for me - (maybe it's my copy).  I end up having to use focus peaking and zoom in and out with the viewfinder to get critically sharp eyes.  you can get very sharp results with this combo but I found it very slow to get it right.  I'll only be shooting portraits with my apo summicrons moving forward and in particular the 50 and 75 since the 90's hit rate is not as good as those two with AF.  I only shoot my SL2 and SL2-s with my viewfinders in monochrome mode (RAW only) with focus peaking on and off in red to quickly see the lighting, and sharpness.  I find shooting in color gets in the way.  I'm happy to leave the color for processing later but my true love for the portraits is for B&W.  I could see adding an SL2 or 3 monochrome if Leica ever comes out with one...

This was not easy to complete with a room full of rowdy workers not keen on the process.  I find it best to only shoot one person in the room if possible.  That's not always possible.  But this is probably my favorite B&W portrait completed in 2023.  I may blow it up to 6' for my wall at home.  

Lineman in Ocala, Florida - Leica SL2 with VE SL 24-90 asph, 76mm,  iso 100, 1/250th sec at f 4.0 with Profoto B10 and Elinchrom Octa

Robb

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[robb]

Love the x2d with strobes with leaf shutter... Colors are stunning.  Easily my favorite color portrait for 2022 or 2023.

Utility Lineman in Carrabelle, Florida - Hasselblad X2D with XCD 38mm f 2.5 V, iso 64, 1/1600th at f 2.5 with Profoto B10 and Elinchrom octa

Robb

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[slimsnapped]

On 5/12/2023 at 12:36 PM, robb said:

 

Working with some landscape architects to show people using new parks and trails in the Western Phoenix residential communities.  700 steps on this one.  I was definitely winded after going top to bottom.  

New Trail in Buckeye, Arizona - Leica SL2 with APO-Vario-Elmarit-SL 90-280mm f/2.8-4, iso 100 at 187mm, 1/100th at f 8.0

Robb

 

That trail is not for weak knees. Depending on the day, you'll see people running the stairs on the phone.

[tangosix]

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On 5/13/2023 at 1:34 PM, robb said:

 

Love the x2d with strobes with leaf shutter... Colors are stunning.  Easily my favorite color portrait for 2022 or 2023.

Utility Lineman in Carrabelle, Florida - Hasselblad X2D with XCD 38mm f 2.5 V, iso 64, 1/1600th at f 2.5 with Profoto B10 and Elinchrom octa

Robb

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the detail is unreal and the skin tones are amazing.  it is very impressive.   

[Simone_DF]

On 5/12/2023 at 9:17 PM, robb said:

the 90's hit rate is not as good as those two with AF.

Interesting. I have the 50 and the 90, and haven't noticed any difference

[robb]

A few more with the X2D and profoto.

Apprentice in Ocala, Florida - Hasselblad X2D with XCD 38mm f 2.5 V, iso 64, 1/1600th at f 2.5 with Profoto B10 and Elinchrom octa

Robb

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[robb]

Apprentice in Ocala, Florida - Hasselblad X2D with XCD 38mm f 2.5 V, iso 64, 1/1600th at f 2.5 with Profoto B10 and Elinchrom octa

Robb

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[robb]

Had an exciting month of May.  Started out with one of my images hanging on the New York Stock Exchange.  Not very many photos have been placed there deferring mainly to logos and graphics of companies because of the difficulty with sharpness showing on the "banner" closer to viewing than a traditional billboard.  The image was shot in the field during the visit to a Renewable Energy Solar Farm construction site early in the morning.  The image was so sharp that the graphics team decided to remove some facial hairs.  The point of focus on the glasses and face on the banner really just leapt off the screen.  I was very proud and pleased.  Everyone walking by had their eyes up on it and cell phones out snapping pics on this very highly traffic'd street with tourists and residents alike.  So I guess a bucket list for photographers that week for me.  A great example of what the SL2, ibis, OIS, and the sensor / optics are capable of even outside of multi-shot mode.

Printed Banner Image - Women construction workers, Kress, Texas - Leica SL2 with VE SL 24-90 asph, 29mm,  iso 1250, 1/60th sec at f 3.0 

I got to cover the events surrounding this change for this company from the NASDAQ to the NYSE and its leadership ringing the opening bell on trading.  I scouted the area two days before this and shot them hanging the banner as well as getting there very early for sunrise for the main event.  It was a very narrow street so I was pressed as far back as I could go.

Banner Ad on New York Stock Exchange, New York City - Leica SL2 with Sigma Adapter MC-21, EF 17mm 4.0 L II Tilt Shift,  iso 800, 1/25th sec at f 10.0 - Full vertical shift

Robb

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[robb]

Another angle I liked with the right amount of motion blur for my style.

Banner Ad on New York Stock Exchange, New York City - Leica SL2 with Sigma Adapter MC-21, EF 17mm 4.0 L II Tilt Shift,  iso 50, 1/5th sec at f 10.0

Robb

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[robb]

Stopped down the lens to f 4.0 to get more than one face in critical focus.  Used a mechanical shutter but it appears that there was still some banding shown across the digital display, probably due to a shutter speed faster than 1/30th and a slow refresh rate on the display... Couldn't chance the movement blur though for the main action, so I'll put up with a little of the striping on the screen behind.  Great colors from the s for me.  Perfect combo for limited lighting indoors and a quick moving event to cover.  Flash was not allowed on the floor.  

Opening Bell Ringing at the NYSE, New York City - Leica SL2-s with APO Summicron SL 75mm Asph, iso 2500, 1/125th at f 4.0

Robb

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[robb]

Floor Trading in the modern age at the NYSE, New York City - Leica SL2-s with APO Summicron SL 35mm Asph, iso 5000, 1/125th at f 4.0

Robb

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[robb]

CNBC Morning Financial Broadcast at the NYSE, New York City - Leica SL2-s with APO Summicron SL 75mm Asph, iso 6400, 1/100th at f 4.0

Robb

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[kobra]

Great work @robb and congrats!!!

Brad

[Ken Abrahams]

Fantastic Robb, what a buzzz to get your work printed this large and draped over NY Stock Exchange! I am sure there will be plenty of choice work flowing on from here.

All the best

Ken 

[pedaes]

Indeed. Congratulations!

[LBJ2]

16 hours ago, robb said:

Had an exciting month of May.  Started out with one of my images hanging on the New York Stock Exchange.  Not very many photos have been placed there deferring mainly to logos and graphics of companies because of the difficulty with sharpness showing on the "banner" closer to viewing than a traditional billboard.  The image was shot in the field during the visit to a Renewable Energy Solar Farm construction site early in the morning.  The image was so sharp that the graphics team decided to remove some facial hairs.  The point of focus on the glasses and face on the banner really just leapt off the screen.  I was very proud and pleased.  Everyone walking by had their eyes up on it and cell phones out snapping pics on this very highly traffic'd street with tourists and residents alike.  So I guess a bucket list for photographers that week for me.  A great example of what the SL2, ibis, OIS, and the sensor / optics are capable of even outside of multi-shot mode.

 

Printed Banner Image - Women construction workers, Kress, Texas - Leica SL2 with VE SL 24-90 asph, 29mm,  iso 1250, 1/60th sec at f 3.0 

I got to cover the events surrounding this change for this company from the NASDAQ to the NYSE and its leadership ringing the opening bell on trading.  I scouted the area two days before this and shot them hanging the banner as well as getting there very early for sunrise for the main event.  It was a very narrow street so I was pressed as far back as I could go.

Banner Ad on New York Stock Exchange, New York City - Leica SL2 with Sigma Adapter MC-21, EF 17mm 4.0 L II Tilt Shift,  iso 800, 1/25th sec at f 10.0 - Full vertical shift

Robb

 

Bravo! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 

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[robb]

In conjunction with the unveiling of the company's new position on the NYSE and the banner ad there, the company aired rolling 30 second billboard ads in Times Square to promote their new trading position.  Each billboard rotated about 6 to 8 of my black and white portraits of their workers in the field following their logos and tag lines.  The one shown in this part of the ad was a surveyor along an active highway.  I used a slow shutter speed to show motion blur of the traffic with the worker still sharp due to help from the lens OIS and camera Ibis.  

Surveyor along I-20 in Midland, Texas - Leica SL2 with VE SL 24-90 asph, 36mm,  iso 50, 1/25th sec at f 9.0 with Heliopan circular polarizer

I had a heads up as to a window when the ad would first air but it was not a precise process.

I waited 2 hours in this general area / position watching the screen and all the advertisements and live news broadcast in order to be in the right spot to document the ad when it would pop up.  I could tell you every new show, product and upcoming sports event that played on the big screen while I waited for this series to finally be revealed.  My persistence was rewarded with a set of about 8 images showing each of the rolling B&W frames and overall scene around.  I laughed out loud a long time after finally getting this done and was again very proud to have seen this play live at the start of what would play regularly throughout the month to millions of eyes each day.

The black and white portraits they selected were primarily shot in the field with the Leica SL2 and a mix of SL 24-90 and 90-280 lenses

Rolling Billboard Ad in Times Square, New York City - Leica SL2-s with Sigma Adapter MC-21, EF 17mm 4.0 L II Tilt Shift,  iso 640, 1/125th sec at f 5.6

Robb

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